


Cupcakes

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, F/M, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-04-07 02:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4246020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom and Rebecca own a bakery and this alien comes in every day, sniffs the air, and then leaves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cupcakes

            “Why does he do that?” Tom asks Rebecca, nodding towards the alien who is turning and leaving.  He comes into their bakery every day, smells the air, and then leaves.  Never says anything, never buys anything.  Just smells.

            “I don’t know…” Rebecca says, looking at the still ringing bell that hangs over the door.  She gives him a grin.  “Be right back.”

            “Rebecca, wait!” Tom says, but she’s already darted around the counter and is heading for the door.  He sighs and shakes his head as he goes back to rearranging the cakes in the display.

            “Hey!” Rebecca shouts at the alien’s retreating back.  “Volm dude!”

            The alien turns to look at her.  “Yes?  Have I caused some offence?”

            “No, but my husband wants to talk to you,” Rebecca says.  “We own the bakery you stop in every day.”

            “I have some time, but not much,” the alien says.

            “Excellent,” Rebecca says, tugging him along.  “What should we call you?”

            “Many humans call me ‘Cochise,’” he says.

            “Excellent,” Rebecca says.  “I’m Rebecca and my husband’s name is Tom.”

            She pushes the door open and grins when she sees Tom still rearranging the cakes.  “Tom!  I brought back Cochise so you can ask him your question.”

            “Cochise?” Tom asks.  “That’s your name?”

            “It is a nickname,” Cochise says.

            “It’s a cool nickname!” Tom says.  “Did they tell you about the history of-“

            “Tom,” Rebecca interrupts, squeezing his hand.  “Cochise says he doesn’t have a lot of time.  You can tell him next time he comes in.”

            Tom nods as Cochise looks between them in confusion.  “When it comes to history, I kind of go on.  I’ll tell you the story some other time.  I was wondering why you come in every day and just smell the air.”

            “I enjoy the sensation,” Cochise says.

            “Why don’t you get anything?  Eating is way better than smelling, I promise,” Tom says. 

            “Volm do not have money, which humans require in exchange for goods,” Cochise says.  “I must leave now.  I have a crucial meeting.”

            He’s gone before Tom or Rebecca can say anything else. 

            Tom looks at Rebecca who is looking right back.  “We’ve got to give him some free samples, right?” he asks.

            “Duh,” Rebecca says.  “What do you think aliens like?”

            “Maybe we should try a little bit of everything,” Tom says. 

            “That might be too much,” Rebecca says.  “I dunno how the Volm feel about charity.  Some people get touchy.”

            “Maybe just one of the cupcakes, then,” Tom says.  “You make a mean cupcake.”

            “Good idea,” Rebecca says, kissing his cheek.

* * *

 

            “What do you think?” Rebecca asks, holding out the cupcake for Tom inspection.  It’s nice and big, and Rebecca has drawn the Earth in frosting on it.

            Tom squints.  “Are you sure you want to encourage the alien to _eat_ Earth?  He might get the taste for it.”

            “I’m gonna get him to take me, duh,” Rebecca says. 

            “Hey, what about me and Hal?  He’s only one,” Tom says. 

            “Good point,” Rebecca says, leaning forward and kissing his cheek.  “I’ll make sure to pick up Hal before I go hang out on his spaceship.”

            “And leave your poor husband behind?” Tom asks, making puppy dog eyes at her.

            “Maybe,” Rebecca says, shrugging as she goes back out front. 

            Tom laughs and rolls his eyes at her as he keeps taking stock.

* * *

 

            “Hey, Cochise!” Tom says when he spots the familiar alien near closing.  He waves him over. 

            Cochise comes to the counter.  “How are you today?”

            “Good,” Tom says, smiling at him.  He points to the display case, where Cochise’s cupcake is resting.  “Rebecca made a cupcake for you.”

            “I have already informed you that I do not have any money,” Cochise says.

            Rebecca comes out front, wiping her hands on her apron.  She has a smear of flour on her face.  “Don’t worry about it.”

            She takes it out of the display case and offers it to Cochise.

            “Are you certain?” Cochise asks, looking at them both.

            “Yes, of course.  Please, take it,” Tom says, smiling encouragingly. 

            “I must repay you somehow,” Cochise says.

            “You really don’t,” Tom says.  “You’re hardly the first person we’ve given a free sample to.” 

            “Presumably with the intent to persuade them to buy more,” Cochise says.  “I can never buy more.”

            “We give to the needy too,” Rebecca says.

            “And if you haven’t had Rebecca’s cupcakes, you’re in need,” Tom says.

            Cochise looks between them and carefully takes the cupcake.  He examines it with clear interest.  “Did you do this design?”

            “Yes,” Rebecca says.  “It’s Earth!”

            “I recognized it,” Cochise says.  “I have seen it from space; it is an incredibly accurate rendering considering it is made from foodstuffs.”

            “She’s good, isn’t she?” Tom asks, proudly, wrapping an arm around his wife.

            “Oh, hush,” Rebecca says, grinning at him.

            Cochise begins to bite into the cupcake.

            “Wait!” Tom says.

            Cochise stops and looks at him.  “Have you changed your mind?”

            “You have to take the paper off,” Tom says.  “You don’t want to eat that.”

            “Thank you for the advice.  I have never eaten a cupcake before,” Cochise says.  He removes the paper and then begins to eat it.  Halfway through, he pauses.  “This is quite the series of sensations, but I have been rude.  I should ask if you wish to consume food with me.”

            “Maybe some other time,” Rebecca says, smiling at him. 

            “You anticipate that this will happen again?” Cochise asks between bites. 

            “Yeah, you come in every day,” Rebecca says.  “I’m sure we’ll have more free samples.”

            “You cannot keep giving me free food,” Cochise says.

            “We’re the owners,” Tom says.  “We can give out whatever food we want.”

            “It does not seem right,” Cochise says.

            “Come by at the end of the day,” Tom says.  “We usually have surplus.  We set some aside for ourselves and someone from the shelter comes by to pick up the rest.”

            “What time?” Cochise asks.

            “Around five,” Tom says. 

            “I will return tomorrow,” Cochise says, licking the remnants of the frosting from his fingers.  “Thank you for your kindness, Rebecca and Tom.”

            “It’s good to meet you,” Tom says.

            “Can’t wait for tomorrow,” Rebecca says.

* * *

 

            Cochise comes in every day, and Tom and Rebecca take time out of their usual closing schedule to sit down and eat some of their leftovers from the day.  It’s only fifteen minutes out of each day, but it’s something they both look forward to.

            “I must repay you for your kindness,” Cochise says. 

            “We’ve told you before, Cochise, you don’t,” Rebecca says.

            “You tell us about other worlds, other species.  Stuff we could never imagine,” Tom says.  “It’s amazing, and worth some bread and cake.”

            “That is part our normal lives,” Cochise says.  “It is nothing extraordinary.”

            “It is for us,” Rebecca says, “and you’re our friend now.  Friends share their food.”

            “I am honored you consider me a friend,” Cochise says. 

* * *

 

            And then one day Cochise doesn’t come in.  Tom and Rebecca linger as late as they can make excuses for, but he doesn’t come in.

            “It was weird not having Cochise come in today, right?” Tom asks while he’s changing Hal’s diaper.

            “Yeah,” Rebecca says from the couch.  “It’s probably nothing though.”

            “I dunno,” Tom says, poking Hal’s cute little baby belly.  “The Volm are… intense.  He could have gotten hurt training or something.”

            Rebecca runs a hand through his hair.  “It was one day.  If he doesn’t show up tomorrow, then we’ll worry.”

            “You’re so smart,” Tom says, resting his head against her leg. 

            “You know what else could be a smart idea?” Rebecca asks and there’s a serious note in her voice that makes him look away from Hal and up at her.

            “What?”

            “We could take Cochise out to dinner,” Rebecca says.  “Like a date.”

            “You wanna date Cochise?” Tom asks.

            “I think _we_ should,” Rebecca says.  “You light up around him the same way you light up around me.  I get excited when he comes in the same way that I do when you walk in the room.  It sounds like fun.”

            Tom thinks about it; his wife isn’t wrong.  “You’re so smart.”

            “So that’s a yes?  To dating someone else together?” Rebecca asks.  “You’re not upset that I’m asking for us to date someone other than each other?”

            “It’s not about replacing me, is it?  That you don’t really like me anymore?  Or that you think the-“ Tom covers baby Hal’s baby ears.  He raises his eyebrows so she knows that he’s joking around, “-sex isn’t fun anymore?”

            “After last night?” Rebecca bends down and kisses his cheek.  “Not yet.  Although, considering he’s an alien, the sex is definitely gonna be interesting.”

            “Then it sounds like fun to me, too,” Tom says.  “We’ve just to do things with him together for now, okay?”

            “Of course,” Rebecca says.  “Unless I get him to destroy the planet.  I’m still on the fence about taking you with us.”

* * *

 

            “Would you be interested in going on a date with us?” Rebecca asks the next day.

            “What?” Cochise asks.

            “Human courtship involves taking each other out,” Tom says.  “To dinner, to movies, to museums.”

            “Have you not already paired off?  I was led to believe that humans are monogamous,” Cochise says.  “I do not wish to make either of you unhappy by engaging in monogamy with your previous partner.”

            “Most humans are monogamous, but there’s nothing wrong with dating someone else if your partner agrees,” Rebecca says.  “We talked about the idea of going on a date with you last night.”

            “We both missed you when you weren’t here yesterday,” Tom says, “and we realized that we wanted to see you more often.”

            “It would make us happy,” Rebecca says.  “If you don’t want to, that’s fine.”

            “I would enjoy going on a… date… with both of you,” Cochise says.  “Thank you for asking me.”

            Tom and Rebecca smile at each other. 

            “Is there anywhere specific we should go?” Tom asks.  “Anywhere you’ve been eager to see on Earth?  That’s, like, nearby.  Not Italy.  That’s not first date material.”

            Cochise considers the question.  “I have been curious about human museums.”

            Tom grins and elbows Rebecca in the side.  She turns and gives him an exasperated look. 

            “And dinner,” Rebecca says.  “A human museum and dinner.  Tom’s got plenty of recommendations for museums.”

            “I must leave now, but I look forward to our date,” Cochise says.

            Tom and Rebecca both lean across the table and press their lips to his cheeks. 


End file.
